


The Family That Gets Sick Together

by Pineprin137



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Actor duty, Coughing, Daddy duty, Exhaustion, F/M, Fever, Jensen Whump, Jensen can't catch a break, Napping, Sick Character, Sickfic, Supernatural Creation Conventions, Vomiting, Whump, everyone's sick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-23 14:23:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23146231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pineprin137/pseuds/Pineprin137
Summary: JJ and Danneel join Jensen at the convention. However, the entire Ackles clan is sick.Sometimes, pulling double duty is too much for Jensen. After all, he would rather nap with his sick wife and kid then get on a stage.
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Danneel Harris
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted a little fluff this weekend after all the news about the impending Coronapocalypse... (Seriously, I keep hearing Chuck in my head saying, "Hoard toilet paper." Four stores in my town just ran out of TP. It's getting serious now, folks.) 
> 
> So, here you go. A little Ackles family illness to enjoy!

When Jensen walked onto the stage sans coffee cup, without his costar, a murmur went through the crowd. 

The actor cleared his throat, waited until the room quieted. His voice was raspy and he winced when he swallowed. 

“So… y’all may have noticed that things are a bit different today. For one, it’s just me up here. Jared won’t be joining us this morning. And two, if y’all can’t tell-- I’m a little under the weather. I’m on about three different kinds of medicine so if I seem a little groggy, that’s why.”

_ “Is Jared okay?”  _ someone in the audience called out. 

Jensen shook his head. 

“Well, he started feeling bad last night and when I checked on him earlier, he told me he didn’t get any sleep so I told him to get some rest. Hopefully, he’ll feel well enough to do the main panel later, but if not, I’m sure the folks from Creation have a back-up plan.

“As for me, it’s been a rough week. I’ve been sick since last Thursday-- But I  _ am _ doing better. I know it may not seem like it, but this--” Jensen gestured to his faded jeans, boots, and sweater, “--is actually a vast improvement over the last few days. This is the first time I’ve been able to speak without coughing my head off so far. 

“Also, I just want to give y’all a heads up. If you guys see me or my family in the hallways or at lunch or the hotel, it’s probably best to keep your distance. I love you guys and I love to meet you and hear your stories, but right now I’ve got a sick little girl. If I get snippy or act rude, it’s because I’m pulling double duty this weekend on top of being sick and I’m probably tired.”

The actor gave a weak smile before taking a seat on the provided stool. Jensen was immensely relieved, Standing on his feet too long tended to make him dizzy. 

“Alright, now that that’s taken care of… Let’s get into some questions.” 

Half an hour later, Jensen exited the stage to the sound of applause. He headed straight for the green room to check on his family. 

“How’s she doing?” he asked, sitting on the couch beside his wife. 

Danneel carefully adjusted the sleeping toddler in her arms before answering.

“Her fever’s down, but she still won’t eat anything. We tried a little water and she kept that down, but juice is still a no-go.” She brushed her knuckles down her husband’s stubbled cheek. 

Jensen leaned back against the sofa, draped an arm over her shoulders. He sighed, “My throat’s killing me, but other than that I think I’m okay. Any word from Jared yet?” 

Danneel gave him a side glance. 

Jensen groaned, “What? What is it?” 

“Clif went up there to check on him about fifteen minutes ago... “ 

“And?” Jensen prodded when Danneel didn’t continue.

She shook her head. 

“He’s  _ worse _ , Jay. When he finally opened the door, Clif said he looked awful. He doubts Jared got  _ any _ sleep, he was sweating profusely…”

“Dammit… We were hoping Jare would make it through unscathed-- But I guess not.” 

Danneel gave her husband a sympathetic smile. “It sounds like he’s about where you were last weekend.” 

“Jesus… I feel for him. That shit was  _ not  _ fun.” 

_ “... Daddy?”  _

Jensen smiled at his daughter, brushed a piece of hair from her face. “Hey, Jaybird, how’re you feeling?” The little girl shook her head with an adorable pout. 

“Still not feeling well, huh?” he asked her. 

“Uh-uh,” JJ said, rubbing a fist under her eye. She curled deeper into Danneel’s arms, sniffled into her long-sleeve tee-shirt. 

Danneel jostled her slightly to make sure she had the sick girl’s attention. 

“Hey, Jay, what do you say about hanging with Daddy for a little bit while I go call Aunt Mama? Hm?” 

JJ immediately nodded and reached for her father. Jensen accepted her into his arms. He nodded to Danneel as she left the room then laid back against the arm of the couch so JJ could sprawl on his chest. He checked his watch with a big yawn and after determining he still had half an hour before his solo photo ops started, the actor closed his eyes and fell asleep. 

Jensen woke up to the shuddering of a small body on top of him. He peered down at his daughter, rubbing her back until the coughing fit subsided then reached down and pulled out the sippy cup full of water from the diaper bag. He held her upright so she could take a few sips then waited until she was re-settled and went back to sleep. 

The green room was quiet when Danneel walked back in, most of the cast curled up trying to sleep off the illness that had befallen more than three-fourths of them. She stopped at the refreshments table to grab a fresh bottle of water for her sick husband and a granola bar for herself. She hadn’t told anyone yet, but she was starting to think she might’ve caught the bug as well. 

The actress had to stop herself from  _ aww _ ing when she found her husband asleep on the couch with JJ on his chest. One of his hands was splayed across their little girl’s back and he was loosely holding her sippy cup in the other. Danneel took a few pictures _ \-- how could she not?-- _ then crouched down so she could rouse her husband. 

“ _ Jay? Honey, it’s time to get up.”  _

The only clue that he heard her was a sleepy hum.  _ “Hm.”  _

_ “You’re photo ops are going to start soon. They need you to head down there,”  _ Danneel whispered. 

_ “M’ kay… I’ll be right there…”  _ the actor mumbled. He licked his lips and raised his head. There was a brief moment of surprise when he looked down and saw JJ. He gently set his feet on the floor then gingerly sat up, careful not to disturb the sleeping girl. After he stood up, Jensen bent over so he could lay her down on the couch. Danneel covered her with a blanket then followed her husband to a pair of chairs set up a few feet away. 

“I got you a new one,” she said, handing Jensen the bottle of water. 

“Thanks,” he murmured. He pinched the bridge of his nose trying to ease the throbbing between his eyes. 

Danneel rested her hand on the back of his neck. He was burning up. 

“You need anything else before you go? They’ve got all the essentials available.” 

Jensen dropped his head to cough in the empty space between his legs. He didn’t cover his mouth and Danneel cringed before handing him a tissue from one of the boxes nearby. He turned away from his wife to clear his throat into it. When he was done, Jensen balled up the used tissue and took a drink of water. 

Danneel smiled softly at him. “I think maybe we should head back to the room and just order in for lunch. What do you say?” 

The sick actor managed a weak smirk. “I think that sounds amazing.” He stood up. “Why don’t you two head back there now and I’ll just meet you after the meet-and-greet?” 

She kissed his cheek. “Okay. Hang in there, honey. Just a few more hours.” 

Luckily, the photo ops went pretty smoothly. Other than a few overly excited fans and brief coughing fit about halfway through, the line moved quickly and Jensen was able to finish up on time. As soon as the photographer said he was good to go, Jensen headed over to his meet-and-greet. Just before he entered the doors, however, he made a last-minute decision to stop by the restroom first. 

He’d been on his feet too long… his head was pounding and his chest ached with the need to cough. After taking care of business at the urinal, he moved into one of the stalls so he could sit down and catch his breath. 

_ Thirty minutes _ , Jensen thought to himself,  _ I can do this…  _

He pulled off a length of toilet paper, held it in his lap. As much as he didn’t want to do it, he knew he needed to get as much of the shit out of his lungs as he could before greeting the fans. 

While working the phlegm loose, his deep grating coughs echoed in the small room. With each cough, Jensen held the tissue up to his face to spit out the resulting  _ yech _ . When he finished, he flushed the dirty tissue then walked over to the sink. 

First, he washed his hands then ran wet fingers through his hair. He also splashed water on his face. The sick man hoped it would help to make him seem a little more awake and not so pale, but he doubted it would work. More than that, he was desperate to cool down his heated skin. The fever was raging, his headache had worsened, his throat was so sore it hurt to swallow-- all Jensen wanted to do was sleep. 

Thirty-five minutes later, Jensen got into the front seat of the SUV beside Clif. He rested his aching head against the cool glass of the window while Clif drove them back to the hotel where the majority of the cast was staying. 

It was a lovely hotel-- although the elevator had apparently been malfunctioning since last night. Jensen climbed the stairs slowly, but even so, he ended up coughing until he was red in the face from the exertion. As much as he didn’t want to spread his germs, he had no choice but to keep one hand on the wall as he walked to the room. His head was spinning after the short foray up the stairs, his body worn out. He’d been fighting the illness for over a week and the convention was quickly using up all the energy he had left.

It took the actor two tries to get the keycard to work. Once the green light flashed, he used his shoulder to push the door open then turned around once it was closed to slide the deadbolt in place. The  _ Do Not Disturb _ placard had already been hanging on the door when he walked up so he headed straight for the bed, only to backtrack when he realized Danneel was curled up on the bathroom floor. 

Jensen walked into the bathroom, crouched beside her. After resting the back of his hand on her forehead, he sighed. Even through the heat of his own fever, he could tell his wife felt way too warm. 

He smoothed his hand over her cheek. 

_ “Dee? Hey, I’m back.”  _

Danneel blinked in the bright light of the bathroom and moaned softly. 

“How long you been feeling bad?” Jensen asked. 

She allowed him to help her into a sitting position before answering. The room swam in front of her eyes and when her bare skin touched the tiled floor, she shivered. 

“Pretty soon after we got back. I tried to nap with JJ, but then I started feeling nauseous so I came in here.” 

Jensen’s eyes were beginning to droop, but he nodded to let her know he’d heard her. His balance faltered, one hand slapped against the side of the bathtub to keep himself from toppling onto his wife. 

She frowned at him. “Jay, honey, you look dead on your feet.” She rose onto her knees placing one hand on his shoulder. 

Danneel gasped, “Jay! You’re burning up!” 

Her own sickness momentarily forgotten, Danneel stood up and walked over to the sink. She ran one of the washcloths under the faucet before placing it on the back of her husband’s neck. 

“C’ mon,” she said, “Let’s get you to bed.” 

Jensen nodded and stood on shaky legs so he could follow her into the bedroom. 

While her husband undressed, Danneel checked on their sleeping daughter before preparing two doses of Tylenol.  _ One for the Mr. and one for the Mrs,  _ she thought, chuckling a little. 

A wave of intense dizziness washed over Jensen. He stumbled back until his knees hit the edge of the bed then sat down heavily. He felt something rise in his throat and pressed a fist to his lips while nausea and fatigue battled. When the spinning only increased, he closed his eyes and blindly reached for Danneel. He caught her sleeve and held on tightly until she turned to face him. 

“I’ve got your Tylenol ready--” as soon as she saw her husband’s ghost-white face, she rushed over to stand in front of him. “Jay?” 

Jensen swallowed thickly and groaned, “I think I’m gonna be sick…” 

Danneel grabbed the small trash can from its spot between the beds and brought it over to him. She placed it on his lap, keeping it steady with one hand while the other rubbed his back. 

“Just breathe, Jay.” 

The actor gagged twice, then placed his arm on the rim of the can and rested his forehead against it. He breathed slowly, trying to convince his body to relax. Danneel waited beside him until the sick man finally nodded that she could take it away. She placed it back on the floor closer to JJ’s bed then helped Jensen lay down before pulling the covers over him. 

She curled up behind him, stroked his hair and kissed his shoulder. 

“You gotta take it easy, Jay. I know you don’t want to disappoint the fans, but you’re still recuperating. Your body needs rest.” 

Jensen sighed before turning to face her. “I know. It’s just-- Without Jared, it all falls on me, you know? They expect me to step up.” 

“They may expect that of you, but you can only do so much, Jay. You’re still sick too.” Danneel argued, brushing her hand down the side of his face. 

“If you keep pushing, you’re going to burn yourself out. You _ need _ rest-- They’re just going to have to deal with it.” 

“I know,” he sighed, “you’re right. I  _ do  _ need sleep. I’m pretty sure the stairs are what did me in…” 

“Well, you’re here now. So just relax. You don’t have anywhere to be for at least two hours.” She gave him a wry smile. “I’m pretty sure that right now we could  _ both _ use a nap.” 

Jensen pulled Danneel into his arms. Shivering, she snuggled as close as she could, seeking out her husband’s surplus body heat. She could hear how much effort it took him to breathe, but his breaths were consistent so she let him sleep. 

She could’ve sworn there was something she was missing… but her eyes drooped and within minutes, Danneel was asleep. 

She woke sometime later feeling increasingly nauseous and quickly slid out of bed before hurrying into the bathroom. She pulled the door closed behind her then moved to kneel in front of the toilet. The lid was still up from earlier and luckily, she’d thought ahead and placed a folded towel on top of the cold tiled floor. 

Her nausea ebbed and flowed, each time coming back stronger than the last. When saliva rushed over her tongue, she pulled her hair back and leaned forward. She dry-heaved a few times before a small mouthful of vomit splashed into the water. She waited, but it seemed after she got sick, her nausea had abated. 

Feeling relieved, she stood and flushed the toilet then rinsed her mouth over the sink and headed back into the bedroom. 

Jensen squinted at her from where he was lying on the bed and quietly asked,  _ “You okay?” _

Danneel nodded as she got back into their bed.  _ “Yeah, I think so.”  _

Jensen raised the comforter over his mouth when he coughed then grabbed a tissue from the box on the nightstand and spat into it before discarding it in the trash can. While he breathed slowly to try and prevent another fit, Danneel took in the sight of the little girl now nestled against her husband’s side. 

She carded her fingers through JJ’s wild bangs as she waited for him to finish, then asked him, “Did she wake up?” 

Jensen nodded. “Yeah… While you were in the bathroom, she got up and told me her tummy hurt. She ate one cracker and had a little water. I took her temp and she’s still right at a hundred.” 

Danneel frowned as she gently stroked JJ’s face. “Poor baby…” She looked back at her husband. 

“How about you?” 

He shrugged, gave a big yawn. “One-oh-two. And before you ask--  _ Yes _ . We  _ both _ took meds. Children’s for her, regular for me.” 

Danneel nodded once. “Good.” She glanced at the clock on the TV. 

“You don’t have to leave for another hour. You should get some more sleep.”

  
Jensen gave her a sleepy smile.  _ “Don’t have to convince me…”  _


	2. Chapter 2

Whether it was the extra sleep or just being with his family, Jensen found the energy to pull through his duo photo ops with Misha  _ and _ give the crowd a show during the main panel with Jared. Yes, even though they were sick, both men managed to make it on stage for the hour-long question-and-answer session. 

The fans were kind, allowing the actors to take their time when coming up with their answers and pausing when Jensen had a nasty coughing fit. He had to leave the stage for a few minutes when it became hard to breathe, but after sitting down and drinking some water, he was able to return. Jared was quieter than usual due to his still somewhat upset stomach and a raging headache, but he made a few jokes and did his best to play up their friendship with the mock-bickering most fans loved to see.

When the panel was over, the men rode back to the hotel together then split up to head to their respective rooms for dinner. Jared had a shorter break between the main panel and autographs thanks to his duo photo ops with Misha while Jensen got to enjoy an almost three-hour break before he had to show up in the main auditorium of the convention center. 

This time, when he opened the door, he was relieved to hear his daughter’s soft giggling. He walked into the bedroom and leaned against the corner of the wall. He watched for a few minutes while his wife tickled JJ. 

“Looks like somebody’s feeling better,” Jensen said with a smile when he finally joined them. 

“Uh-huh. My tummy doesn’t hurt anymore!” JJ squealed happily. Before either of her parents could stop her, she stood up on the bed and jumped. 

Jensen thanked his lucky stars his reflexes were still on point as he caught her. 

“ _ JJ! _ We do  _ not _ jump on the bed,” Danneel chastised. 

Jensen noticed how pale she looked and walked over to place his hand on her forehead. Her skin was clammy. 

He frowned, “Why don’t you hop in the shower while Jay and I order up some food.” Danneel swallowed thickly. The actor smiled softly.

“I’ll get you some plain toast, maybe some soup?” 

She nodded and headed into the bathroom after grabbing a change of clothes from their suitcase. Jensen sat down on the edge of the bed and put in an order to room service then settled against the headboard. He picked up the remote and flipped through the channels until he found something quiet that JJ would be content watching. While JJ chattered on about the show, Jensen popped open the container of Ibuprofen and downed three. 

When she heard the rattle of the pill bottle, JJ twisted so she could look at him. 

“Is it time to take your temp’ture?” she asked. 

He chuckled at the mispronunciation, grabbed the plain white thermometer off the nightstand. They had a second one covered in bright pink stickers that they used for JJ. 

Jensen turned his head to cough before handing the white one to her. “Are you going to help me?” 

JJ nodded before slipping the little plastic cover off and telling him to “Say ahh.” 

Jensen opened his mouth to let her insert the device under his tongue. She pressed the button then sat back to watch the clock. Danneel had been telling her all day that they had to wait three full minutes before they could remove it. 

It beeped just as someone knocked at the door and Jensen handed it to JJ so he could get the food. 

“What does it say?” he called after shutting the door. He placed the covered trays down on the desk, opening each one until he found the chicken strips and mashed potatoes. 

JJ’s brow was creased in concentration as she read off each digit. 

“Um, one… zero... zero… two.” 

Jensen quickly cut up the toddler’s meal then brought it over to her. He set the tray down in front of her, gave her a napkin. 

“Use  _ this _ to wipe your hands, okay? Not the bedspread.” 

Once JJ nodded and tucked into her meal, he went to check on his wife. He’d heard her throwing up while he was at the door with room service. 

He gently knocked before opening the door. Danneel was once again knelt on the floor, but this time, she had her cheek resting on her arm as it laid across the back of the bowl. She didn’t raise her head when Jensen entered nor when he used a damp cloth to wipe down her face before laying it on the back of her neck. Her wet hair was loose so he grabbed a hair tie from their toiletries bag and gathered it into a loose ponytail. 

He kissed her temple. 

“You need anything?” he asked quietly.

_ “Water… _ ” she replied. 

“Coming right up,” Jensen said, standing and fetching her a glass of tap water. 

Danneel carefully lifted her head, but her hand was shaking too hard for her to hold the glass, so Jensen held it for her instead. She rinsed her mouth twice, then took a small sip before laying her head back down.

The actor set the glass on the floor beside her. He took a look at his watch. 

“It’s about five, now,” he told her, “So I’ll come to check on you in about half an hour. Hopefully, by then we’ll be able to move you to the bed so you can get some sleep.” 

Danneel hummed in acknowledgment, her eyes already closed. With a heavy sigh, Jensen left his wife’s side to go take care of their daughter. 

When the actor returned to the bedroom, he was shocked to see how little food remained on JJ’s plate. Two of her chicken strips were gone and she was scooping out the last spoonful of mashed potatoes. 

Jensen hurried over to her and slid the plate out of her reach. 

“Woah, kiddo! Slow down. You don’t need to rush.” He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “We don’t want to upset your tummy again.” 

JJ nodded with a pout. “... ’kay… I’m sorry.”

The look in his little girl’s eyes caused a wave of guilt to wash over him. 

“How ‘bout you come and sit with me, hm? Then, if you’re still feeling okay by the time the show’s over, I’ll let you have some more.” 

She considered his offer. “Can I bring my blankie?” 

He smiled big. “Of course, you can.” 

While JJ retrieved the soft pink blanket from the other bed, Jensen transferred her tray of food onto the desk and crumbled a few saltines into his tomato soup. He sat down on the bed but left the soup on the nightstand until JJ had finally stopped wiggling. 

He felt miserable enough-- he didn’t need to add getting burned by hot soup to his list. 

They made it about halfway through the episode before JJ started squirming. Jensen asked her what was wrong. 

“Is your tummy feeling bad?” The little girl shook her head, a deep blush coloring her cheeks. 

It took a moment for it to click.  _ Of course…  _

“Do you need to go potty?” She gave him a timid nod. 

Jensen slid his feet to the floor then held out his hand. 

“Okay. Let’s go.” 

She grabbed his hand, followed him over to the bathroom door. He’d left it cracked earlier so he’d be able to hear if Danneel needed him. He peeked inside then turned to JJ. 

“ _ We have to be quiet, okay? Mama’s asleep.” _

The little girl nodded and Jensen pushed the door open all the way so she could enter. She waited until he’d carefully picked up the sleeping woman and left the room then slid her big girl panties down and used her little stool to climb up. 

Jensen came back just as she was about to sit down and quickly stopped her so he could lay the toilet seat back down. He handed her some toilet paper-- there was no way she could reach it with her short arms-- then crouched down in front of her. 

“I’m going to be right outside the door, okay?” She nodded, he continued. “When you’re done, let me know and I’ll help you wash your hands.” 

“ ‘kay.” 

True to his word, the actor waited with his back leaned against the wall until he heard the toilet flush. 

After she’d washed her hands, Jensen led her back into the bedroom. Danneel was now lying beneath the covers where JJ had been sitting, so she crawled up on her father’s lap. He’d filled up her sippy cup while they were in the bathroom and he handed it to her now. 

“I want you to try and drink this, okay? But I want you to take  _ small sips _ .” 

After she reluctantly agreed, he asked her how her stomach was feeling. 

“I’m okay. Can I have my chicken strips now?” 

“Alright, you can have it. But if your tummy starts to hurt, you need to tell me.” 

By the time Jensen’s alarm on his phone went off, he and JJ had nodded back off. He reached for it and almost knocked over the menagerie of medical supplies on the nightstand. After righting a bottle of children’s Tylenol that had fallen over, he held it up to his face and blinked at the screen.  _ Six forty-five.  _ The actor groaned before carefully sliding out from under JJ and heading into the bathroom. He turned on the shower then closed the lid and took a seat on the toilet. 

The deja vu he’d been experiencing for the last week returned. It seemed like all he’d done is move from bathroom to bathroom, bed to couch, then back. As he hacked up even more mucus into a wad of toilet paper, he sent a silent prayer that he could make it through the autograph session. It didn’t seem like a lot of work to the outside observer-- sign a couple of pictures, shake some hands, make a few jokes. 

Truth was, it wasn’t the act itself but rather when it occurred that was the problem. By the time they finished, Jensen ( _ and Jared _ ) would have been sitting in an uncomfortable chair, making small talk and keeping a fake smile plastered on his face for over three hours. It was awkward enough on a regular day, but throw on top of it, his persistent illness and it was shaping up to be a hellish three hours…

Jensen allowed the warm water to rush over his achy muscles, moaning softly. It felt wonderful, but the steam was starting to make him light-headed so he quickly washed off as much sick sweat as he could and lathered his hair then got out. After brushing his teeth and reapplying deodorant--  _ there was  _ no way _ he was going to venture into that packed room without it-- _ he got dressed and checked on his girls.

Danneel was still curled up under the blankets but Jensen woke her long enough to get her to drink some water and tell her he was getting ready to leave. When she quietly inquired about their daughter, Jensen nodded to the other side of the bed. 

“She fell asleep about twenty minutes ago so she should be out for a while. I’m going to keep my ringer on so I can hear if you call.” He looked directly in her eyes. “ _ Call me _ if you need something, okay? I may technically be at work, but you two are my _ family _ . It’s my job to take care of you. Got it?” 

She tried to roll her eyes but ended up wincing.  _ “Yes, Sir.”  _

Jensen sighed. Danneel caught true concern in her husband’s green eyes. 

“Seriously… if you need  _ anything _ , Dee-- I’m here.” 

Danneel uncovered one of her hands so she could cup his fever-warm cheek. “I know. It’s okay… Go, we’ll be fine for a few hours. And I  _ promise _ I will call if things get bad.” 

“Okay. I love you.” Jensen said, kissing her forehead. Danneel smiled at him. 

“I love you too.” 


	3. Chapter 3

When the actor arrived back at the room almost  _ four _ hours later,-- there had been a messy delay that required half of the room to be evacuated so the janitorial staff could clean up-- he was _ exhausted _ . Unfortunately, all the water he’d drunk begged his attention first so he had to make a quick pitstop in the bathroom before he could collapse in bed. 

Jensen was washing his hands when there was a soft knock at the door. 

“ _ You okay in there? _ ” Danneel loudly whispered. She was being extra careful not to wake JJ. Their little girl had gotten sick again about an hour after Jensen left and Danneel had  _ just  _ managed to get her to sleep. 

Jensen opened the door and gave his wife a tired smile. 

“Yeah… too much water.” 

Afraid that her husband would wake JJ, Danneel pushed past him and shut the door. 

“You okay?” Jensen’s question was punctuated by a harsh cough. Stepping in front of the sink, the actor grimaced before spitting out what he’d coughed up.

Danneel took a seat on the toilet after closing the lid. She sighed, “Not really. JJ got sick again after you left. I just got her to sleep. My stomach is still acting up. You’re obviously still feeling like crap?” 

Jensen laughed humorlessly. “Yeah, you could say that.” He sat down on the edge of the bathtub, ran a hand over his head, mussed his hair. “I can’t tell you how fucking much I want to be home right now. Just sleep in my own goddamned bed for one night!” 

Danneel frowned and reached over to cover her husband’s hand. 

“Oh, honey, I know you do… ” Her fingers stroked the back of his knuckles, “One more night, okay? All we have to do is survive one more night, then a short flight tomorrow and we’ll be home.” 

Jensen rubbed at his aching head. “Yeah, I know…I’m just… tired, I guess.” 

The sick woman smiled at him. “Of course you are, Jay. You’ve been going non-stop for over two weeks. It’s no wonder you’re still sick-- You haven’t been able to rest!” 

The actor gave her a tired sigh, “Danneel…” The couple had had the same argument numerous times over the last five years and Jensen just didn’t have the energy to do it again. 

However, instead of bringing up the taxing nature of his work schedule, his wife’s voice took on a concerned tone. 

“No, Jay-- I’m not talking about work. This is about  _ you _ . You have a hard time just sitting back and relaxing, even when you’re home. It’s taking a toll on you, honey. You work six days a week, then you come home and work on the house or spend time with Jared talking about next week’s filming.” She moved to sit on his lap. 

“You’ve  _ got  _ to slow down, okay? You’re burning yourself out, going constantly. I  _ know _ that you want to do it all. Be a good actor, be a good dad, but you’ve got to take time for yourself too.” 

Jensen instinctively defended himself, “I do stuff for myself.” 

Danneel gave him a hard look, “Like what?” 

“I… play the guitar! And uh, spend time with you…” 

“Jensen. You haven’t picked up your guitar in months. And when’s the last time we went on a date night that didn’t end with us leaving early for some reason?” 

Grudgingly, he agreed, “ _ Okay _ , so it’s been a while…” 

“It’s been  _ more  _ than a while.” Danneel paused to caress his face. “Ever since JJ was born, you’ve been burning the candle at both ends. But you  _ have  _ to take care of yourself too, Jay.  _ I  _ need you to…” 

Jensen looked at his wife, let himself get lost in her beautiful brown eyes. He knew she was right. He  _ was _ constantly working. Whether at being a good father and husband or giving the fans of the show what they wanted-- he never stopped. 

Cradling Danneel’s head in his hand, he touched his forehead to hers. 

“Alright, I hear you. I’ll try to take more time for…  _ me _ . And  _ us. _ God, I miss you--  _ this _ .” 

Danneel laughed softly. “Sharing a romantic moment in the bathroom while sporting matching fevers?” 

The actor chuckled quietly. After a moment, he spoke up. 

“I don’t know about you, but I could use some serious sleep right about now. What do you say? Care to join me?” 

Danneel leaned forward to brush her lips over his. 

“ _ Absolutely. _ ” 

Jensen decided to use the last remaining energy he had to scoop her into his arms and carry her into the bedroom. He laid her down gently before pivoting to place a kiss on JJ’s forehead. 

He whispered to her, “ _ Hang in there, Jaybird… We’ll be home soon.” _

Then he stripped out of his clothes and crawled into bed behind his wife. He draped one arm over her, breathing in the familiar scent, listening to the heartbeat he knew so well. Their fingers intertwined over her belly, within moments, they were both asleep. 


	4. Chapter 4

When the alarm went off the next morning at six, Jensen rolled over and shut it off before getting out of bed and walking over to the desk. Yawning, he booted up his laptop and pulled up their flight information. Their flight was scheduled to depart at nine, but after a few clicks, Jensen changed their reservation to the three o’clock flight instead. Since it was a five-hour flight, that meant they would still be home by tonight, and this would give them a chance to sleep in. 

He visited the bathroom and took more meds then crawled back into the warm bed. Danneel turned over to cuddle against him. 

Jensen kissed her then informed her of the change. 

“I switched our flight to this afternoon.” 

“ _ Hm. _ ” 

“It won’t leave until three.” 

“ _ Mhm _ .”

“Dee, honey?” 

“ _ Mhm _ … _ I heard you… later flight… that’s good. Go back to sleep.”  _

Jensen chuckled at his wife’s somewhat coherent mumbling then pulled the covers back up and closed his eyes once again.

“ _ Daddy? _ ” 

Jensen rolled onto his back. Responded to his daughter without opening his eyes, “ _ What is it, Jaybird?”  _

_ “I don’t feel go--” _ the little girl’s voice broke off into a gag. 

Parental instincts had Jensen reaching for the trash can before his eyes were fully open. He held it in front of his daughter and smoothed his hand down her back as she threw up. 

“Shhh. It’s okay. You’re alright,” he soothed as JJ continued to cough. “I’m right here.” 

The sound of their daughter getting sick woke Danneel and she slid out of bed to fetch a damp cloth. 

When there was a lull in the toddler’s nausea, Jensen quickly moved her into the bathroom. He knelt beside her and lifted the toilet seat up then accepted a hair tie from his wife so he could pull the little girl’s hair back out of the way. 

JJ whimpered as her tummy started feeling progressively worse. Jensen kept his hand on her back and did his best to keep her calm. 

“It’s okay… just let it happen…” 

Seeing that her husband had everything under control, Danneel handed him the wet rag and a fresh glass of water then exited the room. 

Pushing aside his own exhaustion, Jensen stayed with his daughter until she was finished. JJ was pretty weak afterward, so he picked her up and flushed the toilet then held her over the sink so she could rinse her mouth. 

“You ready to go back to bed?” He asked her, smoothing his hand over her hair. 

She nodded and tightened her arms around his neck. He carried her over to Danneel and placed her in her mother’s arms. Then, he quickly returned to the bathroom and shut the door so he could puke without JJ hearing. 

Luckily, it was mostly water so it wasn’t too bad, but it took a lot out of him. He stumbled on his way to the sink, had to grip the edge when his vision swam. Dizziness turned into nausea and he heaved into the sink, panting hard. His brain felt fuzzy and when he tried to cup his hand under the faucet, everything went black.

When Jensen opened his eyes, he was on the bathroom floor and his wife was kneeling beside him. He tried to lift his head up, but Danneel stopped him. 

“Easy… just take a minute. You hit your head pretty hard when you fell.” 

The actor groaned, brought the back of his hand to his mouth and shut his eyes. 

“Gonna be sick?” she asked.

Jensen swallowed a few times before shaking his head. That was not a wise choice. Pain ratcheted through his skull and he winced before turning his head and vomiting on the floor. 

Danneel cleaned it up with the towel lying beside her then gently moved to prop her husband’s head up on her knee. 

“Told you.” 

_ “Ow,”  _ Jensen replied.

Danneel blotted his forehead with the damp rag in her hand. 

“You scared the hell out of me, Jay. I heard you throw up, the faucet came on and then…” Danneel took a shaky breath, remembering the awful thud she’d heard when her husband’s body hit the floor. 

Jensen covered her hand with his. “I must’ve passed out, ” he supplied weakly. 

“Yeah, probably…” Danneel said then paused. “Will you stay in bed now?  _ Please? _ ”

Jensen huffed out a laugh, “ _ Yes, Ma’am. _ ”

“Jensen, it’s not funny. You scared the hell out of me! What would happen if I couldn’t wake you, huh? JJ was freaking out and all I could think was  _ please, God, _ let him be okay…” 

Jensen carefully sat up, pulled his wife into his arms. “I know. I know it’s not funny. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Or JJ… ” 

After a few minutes, Danneel helped him off the floor. She kept her arm around his waist as they walked back to the bed. Jensen sat down heavily, groaned, and tipped over onto his side. 

Danneel pulled the covers up over him and kissed him on the cheek. 

“We’re not getting on that plane until I  _ know _ you can handle the change in altitude. Got it?” 

Jensen sighed, “... got it.” 

“Good. Now, you rest. JJ and I are going to go downstairs and get some breakfast before the buffet closes. We’ll be back in a few minutes. I’m taking the key card so you won’t have to let us in.” Jensen nodded. Danneel pointed her finger at him. 

“Do  _ not  _ get out of that bed. Everything you need is on the nightstand. If you need to puke, use the trash can. I’ll have my phone with me.”

Jensen rolled his eyes. He was fully capable of taking care of himself for twenty minutes. 

Danneel grabbed the key card and shoved it into the pocket of her jeans. JJ held onto her hand and they walked over to the door. His wife stopped at the threshold. 

_ “I mean it, Jensen Ackles. If your ass moves from that bed before I get back, there will be hell to pay.” _

“Alright, alright. I get it. I won’t get out of bed, ” Jensen grumbled.

Danneel had nothing to worry about, within ten seconds of her shutting the door, the actor was fast asleep.  __

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so it ended a little abruptly, but guys, I just couldn't stop! Seriously, I could probably just keep going (I almost wrote about their flight and then when they got home), but I wanted this one to be a short story... So much for that. 
> 
> I've really been into writing about family dynamic lately so get cozy, dear readers. More fluff is headed your way soon ;)


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